The taipans are a group of snakes that are grouped in the genus Oxyuranus, which corresponds to the elapid family and are characterized by being among the most poisonous snakes in the world. These animals attack very quickly, a fact that, together with its powerful venom and size, makes the taipan snake one of the deadliest in the world.
They are snakes endemic to Oceania, and three species and two subspecies have been identified within the genus. We invite you to continue reading this article on our site to learn about all the types of taipan snakes.
Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)
Also known as the ferocious snake, it formerly had a wider range, but is now found in both South-West Queensland and in South Australia Habitat is floodplains and dark, cracked weathered soils, all sparsely vegetated. This snake normally hides in crevices and burrows of other animals.
The size of the ferocious snake is medium to large, with an average length of 2 meters It has a robust body, with triangular shaped head, large eyes, the iris is darkened and the pupil is rounded. The coloration of the back in winter is dark brown, while in summer it turns olive yellow; the belly remains yellowish with certain orange spots. This color change favors thermoregulation according to the time of year.
The inland taipan is a diurnal, carnivorous animal that feeds on mammals, especially rats and mice that it hunts in its distribution area. Without a doubt, the most poisonous taipan snake of all is this, because the venom of this snake has been classified as the most toxicin the world of snakes, however, and despite this, it has a timid behavior and, due to the habitat where it lives, accidents rarely happen. However, you always have to be careful if you run into it because it usually warns if it feels disturbed and, if it feels threatened, it will not hesitate to attack, which it does very quickly and accurately.
The inland taipan snake is classified as least concern, although it is not without potential threats, such as the reduction of the prey it feeds on by the introduction of other predators and possible alterations to its habitat.
Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus)
Also known as the coastal taipan, this type of taipan snake has a wide distribution, ranging from western Australia to northern QueenslandIt also extends along the east coast in New South Wales. It is present on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea and in Indonesian New Guinea, in the southeastern area. The habitat is represented by various formations such as forests, jungles, sclerophyllous ecosystems, wooded slopes and plantations.
The coastal taipan snake is also medium to large, with a average length of 2 meters, although there are records of longer lengths. The head, which is lighter than the rest of the body, is triangular in shape, but towards the neck it tends to be thinner. Brown or hazel eyes are large and round. The belly is cream colored with orange spots, while the back darkens to dark brown or reddish in winter and lightens to yellowish in summer.
Two subspecies of this type of taipan have been identified :
- Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni)
- New Guinea Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus scutellatus)
As in the previous case, it is also a carnivorous animal that mainly hunts rats and mice. Its habits develop mainly in the early morning and in the evening, however, when the weather is warm it can have nocturnal activity.
This animal prefers to avoid confrontations with people and if it has the opportunity to flee it will do so, otherwise it will not hesitate to attack quickly in the face of any threat. Its venom is highly toxic, so if the antidote is not used for its bite, it can be lethal to a person.
It is classified as least concern, since no threats have been identified that may be affecting the species.
Central Cordilleran Taipan (Oxyuranus temporalis)
This type of taipan is sometimes confused with the western brown snake (Psedonaja mengdeni). It remains to specify through studies greater accuracy regarding the distribution of this type of taipan snake, however, it has been identified in Western Australia with a certain presence also in the northern territory. The habitat so far described includes areas of red sandy soils, dunes with the presence of certain eucalypts, ecosystems with scattered weeds and some shrubby undergrowth.
This species was only found and identified in 2007 and not many more individuals have been found. The size is similar to that of other taipans, so it exceeds one meter in length. The head is rectangular, but tapers to the snout, which is rounded, and has large eyes with black irises. Coloration is light brown with some olive-grey patterns. The head is much lighter in color than the rest of the body.
It is suggested that you have a specialized mammalian diet. Although its venom is a little less toxic than that of the inland taipan, it is still lethal if it bites a person, so, Similarly, great care must be taken in case of encounters with this species. The first identified individual was seen during an afternoon with warm temperatures and did not flee in the face of human presence, but rather adopted a threatening posture.
It is classified in the category of least concern and no particular threats are reported for this Australian taipan snake.
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Image: Jordan Vos (flickr.com)
